Half-Arsed History

In this week's episode, meet Dick Turpin, an 18th-century highwayman who passed into English folklore for his daring predations as a violent criminal. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): ht...

The automobile is one of the most transformative inventions in human history, completely changing the way transportation, society, culture, business, industry, and so much more work within modern human civilisation. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the death of Allan Pinkerton, a story that is completely and totally distinct from the one cut from History's Strangest Deaths for legal reasons.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Boo...

In this week's episode, get to know Khan Krum the Fearsome, a 9th-century leader of the Bulgarian Empire who is famous for, amongst other things, drinking from the skulls of his enemies. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or...

The light bulb is something found in more or less every room in our homes, today - and while its form and function hasn't changed too much, it has undergone countless improvements and updates across more than a century. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-o...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: highlights from the Q&A sessions from the live show in Maroochydore, including questions on the research that went into the book, how future historians will reflect on Covid, the strongest influences on Half-Arsed History's development, and a whole bunch of silly nonsense at the end. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available...

In this week's episode, get the best kind of advice - unsolicited advice - as to how to bring your creative endeavours to life (there are also a couple of chapters from the book at the end of the episode as well, don't worry). History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available! Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-stran...

The telephone completely changed the way we communicate with one another, making it possible to have an instant back-and-forth conversation across vast distances. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affilia...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: highlights from the Q&A sessions from the live shows in Sydney and Brisbane, including questions on the book's cover, the next white whale, video content, and whether pancakes are better than waffles (they're not). History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available! Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopi...

In this week's episode, enjoy a series of shameful confessions about the mistakes - both those that were found and missed - in History's Strangest Deaths, and listen to a sneaky chapter or two at the end. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available! Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knig...

The internal combustion engine is an invention that has completely and irreversibly changed human civilisation and the way we live our lives, unlocking personal transportation, powering global trade networks, and making us reliant on fossil fuels.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the death of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, a glaring omission from History's Strangest deaths - the shah sentenced two servants to death but then delayed the execution by one day, and in the meantime they killed him instead. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Au...

In this week's episode, hear all about the editing and proofreading process that History's Strangest Deaths underwent, as well as a painful confession about one of the mistakes that slipped through the cracks. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available! Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley...

Barbed wire has had a surprisingly large impact on human civilisation, completely changing the agricultural industry across much of the world, while also becoming an unpleasant symbol of oppression through its use in military affairs and incarceration. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and A...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the massacre carried out after Caracalla proposed wedding between himself and the daughter of the Parthian emperor, just time for another real-world wedding that is taking place this week. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available! Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-...

In this week's episode, get across the behind-the-scenes details when it came to drafting and pitching process for History's Strangest Deaths, as well as a few preview chapters from the book itself.  History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available! Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knig...

The lift has played a very important role in modern building design and construction, sending skyscrapers higher and higher into the air and transforming the layout and densities of cities all around the world.  History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available! Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-death...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the tragic and gruesome story of the Mayerling Incident, a murder-suicide pact involving the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.  History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available! Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Internatio...

In this week's episode, wrap up this six-part mini-series on the French Revolution with its most important legacies - political, social, cultural, and historical.  History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, is now available! Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Internati...

The refrigerator changed so much about how we store and eat perishable food - it opened up global food markets with refrigerated transport, improved food safety with cold storage, and transformed our diets and nutrition with new food availability. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Buy y...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Festival of the Supreme Being, the unhinged religious festival put on by Maxilimilien Robespierre as he attempted to establish the ludicrous brand-new religion he'd invented. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U: A...

Half-Arsed History's first book, History's Strangest Deaths , is now available at all good bookstores, and probably some bad ones as well. You can buy a paper version, an ebook version, or an audiobook version (or all three, if you feel like it). AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html International: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/b...

In this week's episode, get across the final chapter in the tale of the French Revolution: the broad political failure that was the French Directory, the collapse of which represented the end of the revolution itself. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia...

The sewing machine is a piece of technology that has had an outsized historical influence - not just on the textile industry, but on society, culture, and history as well. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.a...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: a brief history of the guillotine, a device popularised during the French Revolution, responsible for the deaths of countless thousands during the Reign of Terror.  History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/N...